Between studying for tests, going to the Wildcat Recreation Center and spending time with friends, having to make dinner can be daunting. After coming home from a late class, I like to make a simple dinner that is still as flavorful and delicious as something I would order at a restaurant.
Eggplant is a misunderstood food for most people. For one thing, it isn’t even a vegetable; it’s a fruit. The key to preparing eggplant well is the seasoning you use. Eggplant almost resembles tofu when diced — it is spongy in consistency and does not contain a lot of flavor. The bland flavor makes it possible to be creative and flavor the fruit however you like. I coated the eggplant and other veggies in this stir-fry recipe in a homemade sweet and salty sauce.
SPICY STIR-FRY
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yeild: 4 1-cup servings
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup spinach
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 eggplant, diced
1 green onion
1 jalapeno (omit to avoid spiciness)
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon agave nectar
Wash all of the vegetables. Cut off the top of the eggplant, where the stem is located, and peel the eggplant with a paring knife. Slice lengthwise, then dice.
Next, dice the red and green bell peppers and mushrooms. Chop the jalapeno.
Chop green onion and set aside to use as garnish.
Coat a large frying pan with olive oil. Saute eggplant and red and green bell peppers over medium heat until vegetables become soft; about 10 minutes. Next, add the spinach and stir it in with the rest of the veggies, continue cooking until spinach is tender.
To make the sweet and salty sauce, combine tomato sauce, soy sauce and agave nectar in a small bowl. Stir until mixed.
Spoon the vegetables into serving bowls, add the homemade sweet and salty sauce and garnish with chopped green onion to serve.
Christina Saschin can be reached at [email protected] or @Stina127 on Twitter.
